What NXT is Hitting Out of the Park That WWE Raw, SmackDown and AEW Keep Whiffing On

There is no better women's division in professional wrestling than what Shawn Michaels has put together in NXT.

The brand's success has to do with the assembly of the roster and its various backgrounds, disciplines, and background styles, but how they are utilized.

Unlike Raw, SmackDown, and AEW Dynamite, the NXT brand features multiple ongoing storylines and is not afraid to load up with matches and segments devoted to the division over its two-hour run time.

On Tuesday's show alone, fans were treated to the first-ever Casket match in women's division history as Tatum Paxley defeated Wendy Choo to end their ongoing rivalry.

Kelani Jordan defeated Nikita Lyons, which gave way to the ignition of a feud between the latter and Adrianna Rizzo, who sought revenge for a backstage attack on last week's show.

From there, Zaria made a lasting impact with her one-sided victory over Brinley Reece, then joined Jordan, Stephanie Vaquer, Giulia and former TNA Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace in a confrontation with Roxanne Perez, Cora Jade and Fatal Influence's Jacy Jayne, Jazmyn Nyx and women's North American champion, Fallon Henley.

That last segment set up a massive 10-woman tag team match for next week's hugely hyped broadcast from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, the former home of ECW.

Add to that a video package hyping Lola Vice vs. Jaida Parker for Philly and you have a show that features at least five ongoing storylines featuring the women of NXT.

Contrarily, Raw featured just over six minutes of ring time for the women's division and little else as Ivy Nile defeated Zelina Vega.

On SmackDown, Naomi picked up a Bayley-assisted win in over eight minutes against Candice LeRae.

Wednesday's Dynamite saw Kris Statlander defeat Kamille in 6:28 seconds, a half-hearted beatdown by Mercedes Mone afterward, and a video package hyping Anna Jay vs. Mariah May for Saturday's Collision.

Women's wrestling is stronger than it has ever been before, with international talent featured across both WWE and AEW, yet it's NXT that has been most committed to presenting it in truly meaningful storylines.

Not just once on a show to hit a quota or to keep fans from lashing out over a lack of presence, it features the division's stars in legitimate rivalries that have payoffs in high-profile match-ups, both on premium live events and in weekly broadcast main events.

Michaels' commitment is to developing the roster and prominently featuring it while also bettering it. In one swoop, he and WWE chief content officer Triple H signed Vaquer, Giulia and Zaria to bolster that roster and hit home how important the women's division is on that third brand.

More importantly, the introduction of those women, coupled with the talent that already exists in NXT, as well as Raw and SmackDown, there is an argument to be made that it is time for WWE to dust off the Evolution premium live event and reintroduce it to the schedule.

There is enough talent in NXT alone to hold a women-only event and still have competitors left over.

When you factor in Rhea Ripley, Bayley, Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Naomi, Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, Chelsea Green, Piper Niven, Meta-Four's Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend, Pure Fusion Collection, Natlaya, Vega, Nile, Kayden Carter and Katana Chance, and every other female main roster competitor, WWE has more than enough talent on its hands to bring back that event and give it another go, six years after the first one.

NXT has laid the groundwork for WWE's other two brands and Tony Khan's AEW for how to truly go all-in with women's wrestling and present it in a way that lets fans know that what those talented stars are doing is as important as what the men are.

The talent is there. The consistent commitment is not.

It is time for Triple H and Khan to survey the landscape and realize that one match, with a video package or brief backstage vignette, is not maximizing the division's talent or presenting it in a way that sets women's wrestling up to thrive in 2024.

Follow NXT's lead, develop characters and stories, and then let the women cook.

Chef Michaels knows what's up. Now it's time the other most powerful execs in the industry take note and follow suit.